Geauga Lake Discussion Thread

[VF15]

According to this article from the Akron Beacon Journal, Wildwater Kingdom will be receiving no new attractions this year. I think most of us had already figured that out, but I feel bad for this waterpark since they hardly ever get anything new.

No new attraction this season at Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom, Big Dipper left untouched

By CRAIG WEBB Published: April 14, 2015

Cedar Fair has no plans to open a new major attraction at Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom this summer.

 

Jason McClure, who oversees the water park along with Cedar Point, said Wildwater Kingdom is a “great water park” and Cedar Fair plans to keep it a regional summer destination.

 

McClure made the comments about Wildwater Kingdom’s future during a meeting with reporters covering Cedar Point’s Winter Chill Out event.

 

The waterpark, which boasts Ohio’s tallest waterslide complex, has not had a new attraction since its wave pool opened in 2006.

 

The park is situated on the old Sea World side of lake and has set its 2015 opening for May 23.

 

On the other side of the lake, the old Geauga Lake Park and later Six Flags Worlds of Adventure before Cedar Fair purchased it and closed it 2007 remains in limbo.

 

Most of the park’s buildings have been razed and the rides removed, but the park’s Big Dipper roller coaster is still standing.

 

After the park closed, the famed wooden roller coaster was sold at auction, but the successful bidder never removed it.

 

McClure said workers closely monitor the closed coaster “along with everything” else left in the old park.

 

But he said there are no “immediate plans” for the Big Dipper.

 

“It’s been there a long time,” he said.

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/airtime/airtime-1.489637/no-new-attraction-this-season-at-geauga-lake-s-wildwater-kingdom-big-dipper-left-untouched-1.583481

[robbalvey]

^ Do you know if attendance is still good at the park? Maybe it's just because that the park does well enough with it's current compliment of attractions that they don't need to add anything that frequently. I know plenty of water parks that do just fine and only add a new attraction every five years or so. Look at Adventure Island at Busch Gardens Tampa, for example, they got a new slide this year, but I think the last time they got something was close to 5 or 6 years ago, and that park does great business!

[MagnumFreak25]

The park get's decently crowded in the summer, lines can get to the bottom of towers some times(Not the body slides though, they never get more than two or three flights) Most people who go are season pass holders though, the area doesn't really have a public pool so people just treat the park as one.

[thrillrider]

^ Do you know if attendance is still good at the park? Maybe it's just because that the park does well enough with it's current compliment of attractions that they don't need to add anything that frequently. I know plenty of water parks that do just fine and only add a new attraction every five years or so. Look at Adventure Island at Busch Gardens Tampa, for example, they got a new slide this year, but I think the last time they got something was close to 5 or 6 years ago, and that park does great business!

 

 

We went about 3 years ago mainly to get pictures of the old ride side from across the lake, and while in the waterpark there was not very many people. It was a warm day, and there was maybe 50 cars in the lot.

 

It looks like a nice waterpark.

[Defcon62]

It has been my understanding that the trains were left out in the elements to rot. Not sure how true this is.

 

This is true, The trains are still on the property but they are in pretty rough shape, They were stored uncovered for several years but they are at least tarped now. If you look at Bing maps they are sitting behind the south admin buildings between the employee entrance and a maintenance shop. On google earth they're on top of the adjacent hill south west of the admin building where the old green houses are.

[topthrillmaverick]

After much hemming and hawing, I think I'm finally going to make another trip out to (what's left of) Geauga Lake this week, primarily for Wildwater Kingdom.

 

Since I can find almost no information regarding it online and no one has posted this summer, how manageable are crowds on summer weekends? It seems most people just ignore this place in lieu of Cedar Point/Kings Island/Columbus Zoo but I really wanted to check it out since he last time I was there was when it was still Sea World.

[DaMarkSta]

The crowds are usually pretty light, but on hot day they can get a little crowded. However when this happens you can always go in the lazy river or wave pool since there's no wait for those.

[topthrillmaverick]

That makes sense, do you have to continuously get out and re-enter the lazy river like at other places? And any recommendations on slides to skip or check out?

[DaMarkSta]

No you can stay in the river as long as you'd like. All the slides are good, the body slides are intense but you'll feel the rivets on your back. The Tornado slide is fun but the same as any other Tornado slide at dozens of other water parks. And the tube slides well they're standard tube slides. Still though a great fun water park, especially on a hotter day it's a great way to spend a few hours and relax.

[DorneyKid14]

http://www.cleveland.com/west-geauga/index.ssf/2015/12/bainbridge_residents_give_wish.html#incart_2box

 

 

Pretty cool read here.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Its a nice thought to incorporate the coaster. But I doubt the company has any desire to do so; hiring an outside company to maintain and operate the ride seem more likely. And thats IF they decode to keep the ride.

[Jew]

Its a nice thought to incorporate the coaster. But I doubt the company has any desire to do so; hiring an outside company to maintain and operate the ride seem more likely. And thats IF they decode to keep the ride.

 

No way the ride stays. I'm guessing they'll do something similar to what long beach did with the pike---a roller coaster facade to reference what was once there.

[Rill'o'beily]

How do you actually pronounce geauga?

 

Like if i try to i just end up sounding like arnold schwartzenegger.

 

GÆEÆUWEAGOA

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Its a nice thought to incorporate the coaster. But I doubt the company has any desire to do so; hiring an outside company to maintain and operate the ride seem more likely. And thats IF they decode to keep the ride.

 

No way the ride stays. I'm guessing they'll do something similar to what long beach did with the pike---a roller coaster facade to reference what was once there.

 

But, when the Pike was being designed, I believe there was once a plane to build a coaster and it got scrapped. So, ya never know.

[djcoastermark]

^^ Jee aaaww guh or something like that.

[DarienLaker]

^^ Jee aaaww guh or something like that.

 

That is the way I pronounce Geauga Lake and Geauga Lake was a sister park to Darien Lake during the time that Funtime Parks owned Darien Lake.

[blakelemay23]

How do you actually pronounce geauga?

 

Like if i try to i just end up sounding like arnold schwartzenegger.

 

GÆEÆUWEAGOA

Gee-ah-guh

[BDG]

How do you actually pronounce geauga?

 

Like if i try to i just end up sounding like arnold schwartzenegger.

 

GÆEÆUWEAGOA

 

[Rill'o'beily]

[quote="BDG"

 

 

AHHHHHHHH

 

Gee-aww-gah

 

Also this advertisement is terrible

[jconsolmagno]

 

Noticed this on a few posts on Geauga Lake Facebook groups. Some clean up is happening at the Big Dipper, as evident by the picture attached. One is a fly over from August 2015, one is from Jan. 2016. A few people on the Geauga Lake fan page on the website said that some wood on the Big Dipper has been replaced, especially where this screen dump is from. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Dom497]

Why would CF care to replace the wood?

[cfc]

^^I'm not seeing anything in those photos that suggests any substantial work has been done.

[Dom497]

Top left of the second picture it looks like there is a stack of wood. (?)

[Apollo von Sol]

^ That stack of wood is also present in the first (left) picture as well along with the green box thing. It doesn't really show anything new. To me, I don't see any new work or wood at all. I'm pretty sure if someone was working on re tracking it, we all would know by now by seeing more construction vehicles and a stock pile of materials.

[robbalvey]

Noticed this on a few posts on Geauga Lake Facebook groups. Some clean up is happening at the Big Dipper, as evident by the picture attached. One is a fly over from August 2015, one is from Jan. 2016. A few people on the Geauga Lake fan page on the website said that some wood on the Big Dipper has been replaced, especially where this screen dump is from. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

 

OMG!!! THE MAGICAL WOOD FAIRIES ARE SECRETLY REPLACING WOOD ON TEH BIG DIPPER!!!! OMG!!!!

 

Seriously, people....

Edited January 25, 2016 by robbalvey